John 19:15-22 (Common English Bible)

Pilate responded, “What? Do you want me to crucify your king?”

“We have no king except the emperor,” the chief priests answered.

Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified.

The soldiers took Jesus prisoner. Carrying his cross by himself, he went out to a place called Skull Place (in Aramaic, Golgotha ). That’s where they crucified him—and two others with him, one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

Pilate had a public notice written and posted on the cross. It read “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.”

Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek.

Therefore, the Jewish chief priests complained to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The king of the Jews’ but ‘This man said, “I am the king of the Jews.”’”

Pilate answered, “What I’ve written, I’ve written.”

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Pastoral Prayer

Merciful God,

As we enter Holy week, turn our hearts again to Jerusalem, and to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Stir up within us the gift of faith that we may not only praise him with our lips, but may follow him in the way of the cross.

In the name of Jesus,

Our friend and our Savior,

Amen.